Islamic Cultural Arts Week

Islamic Culture. One of the many pressing questions doggedly preeminent in many minds. For one week, the ICAW High Committee sought to dispel myth and misunderstanding, throwing together a festivity of arts that alerted the world to the contribution of Islamic culture to the wellbeing of the world at large.

Monday: Akad Nikah demonstration ceremony, corridor between notice boards. P.E, in his inaugural role as a Muslim religious elder, and Firdaus, the prospective groom, gave a highly entertaining rendition of the brief ceremony. All with the aid of two props, i.e. a worn table mat and an impeccable command of Islam.

Wednesday Night: The much vaunted talk on Islamic...fill in the blank. Turns out, after Abby (SC vice pres, I will seriously consider filching pictures of them in distasteful poses - think SC Performance at Nostalgic Malaysia - and displaying them on Veritas for the benefit of oh-ye hallowed ones who have survived the 2 years here.) won a free car trip to KL to pick the speaker up...AND another trip to KL to send her back. A few students, baited by a Baskin Robbins ad, duly followed, only to belatedly realise to their utmost horror that closing time was imminent. As fate would have it, they did not get their ice creams.

But I digress...but this goes to show how little things can invigorate the flagging spirits many college residents are prone to. Talk was on Islamic fashion and design, held in the musollah, but still drawing a fairly representative turnout. Mr Small was obviously intrigued, as were the girls, while the boys were unavailable for comment.

Friday: MUSLIMAH NIGHT. The high point of our banal existence. Well, as you may gather, there were no men. Female sound crew, female heavy manual labour, female organization - all the things women are so overtly sidelined from in our patriarchical college. Which has not been assisted by the fact there is one less female member in this year's Student Council. AND out of the four current female, two are beyond doubt - it's hardly conceivable that a male would be well positioned to represent female religious needs, and the Female Vice-Pres is self explanatory. Which makes Muslimah Night all the more meaningful.

"A night for women to let their hair down..." metaphorically "...and be as beautiful as they can be." Such were the encouraging thoughts the womenfolk of college, both Muslim and non-Muslim, bore to the event. Food, womentalk, performances by juniors and seniors, culminating in the grand finale, Miss KYUEM...Iman Badrudin, of Garnet.

Saturday: Fellowship and games between Muslimin and Muslimah at MPH, afternoon, after the taekwondo tournament, refer above. Teachers brought their kids along, and everyone had a screamin' great time, as the good fellows staying in the chalets nearest to the MPH will testify to.

Sunday: GRAND closing ceremony, and I don't mean speeches or refreshments. Guest artiste was the SM Agama Kuala Lumpur nasyid group, mesmerising us with 2 tunes. Then, the much flaunted drama. Starring Ansai, Mior, Firdaus and, to a certain extent, Joey, it relates the quest of a man to punish God for killing his family who in the process finds God. Along the way, concept after concept was gently explained through the dialogue - we found out about the hijab, prayer, God's will and you'll just have to wait for the reruns.

Well done, well received. Honorary membership of Veritas for these intrepid people, for keeping the truth enjoyable.